Developing aging-friendly communities

Senior Matters
by Meg Callaway

    The Piscataquis County Thriving in Place (TiP) project, funded by the Maine Health Access Foundation, is all about helping people with chronic health conditions stay in their homes and communities by making sure they have what they need when they need it. This includes supporting their caregivers, many of whom are aging spouses and other family members who are at increased risk of developing their own serious health problems.

    Local geriatrician, Lesley Fernow, emphasizes healthy nutrition, mental stimulation, social interaction, transportation, safe and affordable housing, and reducing the risk of falls as the basic supports that promote seniors’ independence. As a longtime Piscataquis resident and house call physician, Fernow sees firsthand how important these supports are in helping older people avoid hospitalization or nursing home care, and she is a strong advocate for creating aging-friendly communities.
    Aging-friendly communities are places where young people benefit from the wisdom and engagement of seniors and older people reap the vital rewards of being actively involved with younger people, including expanding their points of view and learning how to use “everyday technology” like home computers and smart phones. Aging-friendly communities value aging and maximize the contributions older people offer. These communities make sure that the physical environment allows people of all ages and abilities to participate safely in outdoor activities, reliably attend activities and appointments, and have essential services easily within reach.
    Apart from all of the external resources that help to prolong and enrich our lives, internal motivation also plays a part. In his extensive study of Blue Zones, places and cultures in the world with exceptionally long life spans, Dan Buettner reveals that Japan is the country with the longest life expectancy. In particular, men in Okinawa live an average of 76 years and women 86 years.
    Compared to the U.S., they have four-fifths less heart disease, three-fourths less breast and prostate cancer, and a third less dementia. In addition to having high ratings on the predictable factors that enhance aging, like diet and exercise, Buettner notes that Okinawans have a support network that offers financial, emotional, and social help throughout life. They also have a strong sense of purpose that seems to protect them from stress and disease. They call this ikigai (pronounced I-KEE-GUY), which literally translates to “that which makes one’s life worth living.”
    So, as we work to make Piscataquis an aging-friendly community, perhaps we should also be asking “What’s my ikigai?”
    Feel Good Piscataquis (FGP), a joint venture of the Charlotte White Center and the Piscataquis Regional YMCA, will be sponsoring a screening of four short films on aging called “Golden Shorts” on Saturday, May 24, at 7 p.m. at the Center Theatre.
    FGP will also be facilitating a series of community conversations in Piscataquis County about promoting healthy communities. The first will be held this Wednesday (May 7) at the SeDoMoCha Middle School in Dover-Foxcroft from 6-8 p.m. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to meg.callaway@charlottewhite.org.
    We invite readers to offer feedback about this column and to suggest topics for future articles. You may do so by contacting Meg Callaway of the Charlotte White Center at (207) 947-1410 or meg.callaway@charlottewhite.org or Lesley Fernow at (207) 992-6822 and lmfernow@rcn.com.